Like a Butterfly
by AsLostAsAliceAsMadAsTheHatter
Summary: Jessica wasn't always the sexy lounge singer she is today. Once, long before she met Roger, she was an "adult" Toon star. Beaten, abused, and sold, she knows there's more to life than the seedy studio and street corners. Rose Acme, daughter of Marvin Acme, is about to change her life. And, like a butterfly, Jessica will be transformed.
1. Jessica's Creation

Jessica Rabbit was only ever designed for one thing: sex appeal, or more specifically sex itself. Her first memory was of a seedy studio, a bright light shining in her face as a man thrust into her repeatedly. It wasn't long after that Jessica learned what she was, a Toon porn star, something she had been ashamed of since she realized what her job really meant. She shot films by day and worked the streets at night, forced onto the corners by the men who owned her copyright. She had been born, or drawn rather, all of five hours when she was first slammed against a dirty alley wall and taken. She didn't like to think back on her first day of life, as in her opinion it was one of the worst.

Her days soon blurred into an endless stream of sex, beatings, and men, and it was horrible. They used her like a cheap toy, bouncing her from one to the other until she couldn't tell them apart. Gradually, she learned some valuable lessons. She learned to use her body to her advantage, yanking men around like dogs on leashes, and she learned the ways of the world, especially the small area of Hollywood she called home.

She learned that people looked down on Toons, and that even other Toons looked down on Toons, at least, those in her line of work. Toontown held no sanctuary for her, the characters who lived inside treating her almost as badly as humans. To them, nothing was worse than a Toon who worked for reasons deemed selfish, such as sex. So she drifted through her life, days turning into weeks and weeks to months, and wondering if there was a way to escape it all.


	2. Enter the Heroine

Rose Acme was young, beautiful, and insanely rich. Heir to the Acme fortune, men were all but launching themselves at her feet. But she had no use for them, not yet. No, she had bigger dreams in mind before she settled down. And one such dream was helping the Toon woman she saw circling the streets at night, the very same one who constantly looked as though she'd been dragged through a series of incredible hoops and beaten mercilessly. She rarely got an up close look at the woman, usually glimpsing her in passing or just before she was dragged into some seedy building or alley, but the bruises she sported were easily visible, even in the seedy light thrown by the streetlamps. The young heiress wasn't stupid; she knew the nature of the Toon's work, but common sense and some digging told her she wasn't a prostitute willingly.

She had observed the woman for months, gradually at first, more by pure chance than anything, until she realized there was something special about the woman. The tall, redheaded, incredibly proportioned Toon seemed as though she was being tortured, as though she knew there was more to the world than sex. She had appeared beaten, that was what had first drawn her attention, but there was also a glimmer of something more. As the months passed and she began actively searching the woman out, she noticed certain characteristics, such as the fighting spirit that flickered around the Toon whenever she was forced into a job. She hired a private investigator shortly after she vowed to help the woman, and was disgusted as he revealed his findings, so much so that she burned the evidence after seeing it (after making copies for evidence of course).

Rose, after finding out just how corrupt the Toon's copyright owners were, became more determined than ever to help her.

 _ **...**_

It was four months after she'd first seen the unusual Toon that Rose took action. She borrowed one of her father's guns, loading it and carrying some spare bullets should she have to use force. She made her rounds around the usual corners the woman worked, but not before locating her pimp and securing not only that night, but the whole week for herself. Under duress, he had told her that the Toon's name was Jessica, and after giving a name to the woman in her mind found that it fit beautifully.

She arrived near the woman's post just as the first customer of the night showed up. She was merely going to calmly approach him and tell him the Toon had already been paid for, for lack of a better phrase, when she noticed him beginning to get rough. She rushed to reach the pair before anything further could take place that would shatter what little spirit the Toon had left. She felt anger boil in her veins as she watched him slam her into a wall, forcibly shoving a hand up her dress. She slid into the alley with a screech, causing the two to look up.

"Let her go," Rose growled, stepping toward the man menacingly.

He laughed, but didn't release his hold on Jessica.

"And why should I, Toots?" he asked, his voice making her skin crawl.

Jessica watched on in curiosity.

"Because I already reserved her services," she growled, hoping to dissuade him but hating to use that particular phrase.

She felt rather than saw the terror flash across the Toon's face.

"Too bad, I got here first," the man growled, turning his attention back to the woman he had pinned. "Wait your turn."

Rose stepped closer to him, silently slipping the gun out of her pocket.

"I said, let her go."

"Get lost!" the man snapped, already resuming his task.

Rose cocked the gun, the sound ricocheting off the alley walls, causing Jessica's would-be customer to freeze. He turned to face her, for the first time letting go of the woman, who remained frozen.

"You have two choices," the young woman said, bringing the gun into his line of sight. "You can either walk away and forget you ever laid eyes on her," she motioned to Jessica with the gun, "or you can eat lead. Which will it be?"

"You ain't got the guts for that, Toots. I bet that thing ain't even loaded."

Rose fired a shot into the air, causing the two people facing her to cringe.

"Now, what was that about it not being loaded?" she asked, cocking the gun once more. "Consider that your warning shot. The next one will be in your chest."

Looking slightly shaken, the man turned away grumbling. Rose waited until he was completely out of sight before turning to Jessica and smiling softly. The Toon woman remained still, her eyes radiating fear. Rose put the safety on the gun, returning it to her bag. She watched the woman, tracking her movements, noting she was obviously ready to bolt at the slightest provocation. Rose took a single step closer, freezing as the Toon tensed even more.

"Hi Jessica, I'm Rose, Rose Acme," she said gently, offering her hand. She was unsurprised when the woman shrank back, remaining silent. "Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you." The redhead's eyes flickered to her purse. "I only have the gun for protection, I promise."

She doubted her words provided any reassurance, given how dirty and abused the woman appeared to be, but she had to try. The woman began to calm, slowly relaxing, as much as a woman in her position could anyway. Rose flashed her another smile, hoping she would see she didn't intend to harm her.

"H-how do you know my name?" Jessica asked.

"I, unfortunately, wasn't lying when I said I'd reserved your services. Your…boss," she spat the word, utter disdain dripping from it, "told me your name. It's very beautiful by the way."

"Thank you," the woman replied quietly, unused to being complimented. She took a deep breath, seeming to gain courage and her usual air of nonchalance. "I suppose you'll want the usual then?" she asked, stepping forward to hook her leg around Rose's hip.

The heiress quickly caught her leg, lowering it back to the ground. The woman looked at her in confusion.

"Jessica, I didn't pay for the night so we would have sex. I paid for it so you can get away from this for a little while."

Her words only seemed to confuse the woman more.

"But...why? I've never seen you before, why would you want to help me? After all, I'm just a Toon, and not a very good one."

"Because it isn't right what your owners are doing to you. This," she said, gesturing to the alleyway they were standing in, "isn't what a woman like yourself should be doing. Being beaten and sold isn't right." The Toon's eyes widened. "Yes, I know about everything, including the way you were...brought into existence shall we say? And why you were even created to begin with," she explained. "But that business isn't what Toons are meant to do." She stepped forward, gently grasping the woman's hands and ignoring her flinch. "You don't belong here. You have the ability to be so much more than a sex toy, and if you'll come with me I'll help you reach that ability."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that just because you were created for this," Rose said, motioning to the extremely revealing dress the Toon wore, "doesn't mean you can't leave it behind and have a better life. There's so much more to life than this. This, selling yourself and filming the movies you do, it isn't living. Besides," she said with a grin, "everyone deserves a night off every once in a while." She began to lead her across the street to her car. "Now come on, time's wasting and I don't particularly feel like shooting the next idiot that tries to touch you."

For perhaps the first time in her life, Jessica smiled.


	3. Saved

Jessica was having the time of her life, simply because for one night she wasn't propped against dank alley walls or pinned to the damp cement of the street. She had initially been nervous about going with Rose, considering she had only just met her, but she didn't seem to want to hurt her and she was making an effort to make her feel comfortable and, surprisingly enough, human. It was odd to be with someone of her own gender, constantly surrounded by men as she was, and she wondered what they would do in lieu of sex.

The car pulled up to a large mansion, something the young Toon had never seen before. She gasped, the sheer magnitude of the estate a foreign concept. Rose parked the car outside the front door, helping Jessica out after handing her keys to a man in an odd uniform. He looked the Toon woman up and down, disdain and disgust clear. Jessica blushed and ducked her head, no stranger to those kinds of looks. Rose, noticing her discomfort, glared at the man and sent him scrambling away.

"Don't mind him, he's just jealous that you're going to be treated better than he is," she said, hoping to calm the woman's nerves.

"Where are we?" the redhead asked in awe, her eyes still taking in the estate.

"My house," the heiress said with a shrug. "We'll have to hurry," she said, gently tugging on the Toon's hand and guiding her up to and through the front door, "I don't want to run into-"

"Rosie? Is that you?" a man's voice called from somewhere deeper in the house.

Jessica tensed, eyes growing wide at not only the splendor of the home but also the unknown man's voice. Rose cringed and sighed before answering.

"Yes Daddy, it's me," she called, and soon a large man entered.

He was in his late fifties, balding, short and overweight, wearing a horribly patterned suit. Even Jessica, as limited in knowledge as she was, knew it was Marvin Acme. She paled, freezing in place. Rose squeezed her hand reassuringly in the silent promise that nothing was going to happen.

"Where have you been, dear? It isn't like you to-" He stopped short as he caught sight of Jessica, his eyes signaling his desire along with something more. The Toon winced as she saw his lust, and his daughter glared, taking a half step forward so that she was in front of the terrified woman. "And who is this? I don't believe I've ever seen her before."

"Daddy, this is Jessica. Jessica, this is my father, Marvin Acme."

"How do you do?" he asked, stepping forward, intent clear.

The woman steeled her nerves, prepared to be kissed or worse. To her surprise, Rose stepped completely in front of her, shielding her with her body.

"Daddy, Jessica and I don't have much time before she has to be back, so if you'll excuse us," Rose said, all the while nudging the Toon backward toward a grand staircase.

Leaving her father stuttering, she and Jessica walked away, up the grand staircase and down a long hallway. The young woman watched the redhead in amusement as she gawked at the portraits lining the walls. They soon arrived at a large set of white double doors, which she pushed open to reveal an incredibly large bedroom. The Toon stared in awe as she entered, never having seen such splendor. Rose sat on the bed, motioning for the redhead to do the same, which she did tentatively.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, Rose observing the Toon and the Toon looking nowhere but the ground. Nervous tension radiated from her in waves, and the young woman sighed, deciding to break the silence.

"So, like I said before, I wanna help you. Get you off the streets and into an honest job." Jessica's head shot up to face her, her green eyes boring into Rose's hazel. The young woman knew she had hit the nail on the head when a spark of light entered the Toon woman's eyes. "I was thinking some cartoon shorts here and there maybe, if that sounds good to you." Jessica nodded. "Okay. I'll get my lawyers on it in the morning. For right now, do you want anything? Food, a different outfit, a shower? Anything?"

She looked at her expectantly, hoping she would accept the help she offered. Jessica, for the most part, was nearly overwhelmed. She had never in her short life been spoken to with such kindness, or shown any for that matter. An honest job, away from the cameras and the alleys, what more could she want? And the woman had asked her if she wanted anything. Her, want anything?

For the first time the young Toon felt like a real person, not just some ink and paint to be tossed around without thought. Her mind spun as her emotions spiraled out of control. Happiness that someone had finally noticed her silent cry for help, sadness at the thought that the woman was only helping her for personal gain, gratitude at the things she was being offered, and fear that if she accepted she'd be hurt worse than when she disobeyed her bosses.

Rose, noticing the Toon's predicament and the blank but dazed look in her eye, leaned over and placed a hand on her elbow, causing the woman to jump and look at her in terror. She smiled, wishing she could take away her pain.

"Hey, it's okay. I'm going to help you, and there's nothing more to it. Now would you like a shower and something to eat? Maybe then you'll feel better."

At her words, tears sprang to Jessica's eyes. Startled, Rose drew back. She hadn't meant to make her cry, she'd only wanted to calm her down. Blinking back her tears, Jessica managed a weak smile.

"A shower sounds lovely, thank you."

She couldn't remember the last time she'd bathed, probably sometime the month before. It was a good thing she was a Toon and human laws such as eating and bathing didn't apply, otherwise she doubted she'd get much business. Rose smiled, relieved that she was agreeing to her assistance.

"Okay," she said, standing and crossing to another door. "This is my bathroom, feel free to use anything you need." Jessica entered slowly, still stunned by the trust and kindness Rose extended. Wasn't she afraid she'd steal something and run? "There are towels in the cabinet by the tub and robes on the back of the door. Take as long as you need."

Satisfied that Jessica would be okay, Rose set off to find her some new clothes that would actually cover more than just the woman's sensitive parts.

 _ **...**_

The Toon was completely lost as she stared at the massive tub and various soaps lining its edge. Normally when she had the chance to take a bath it was after she had finished with a client in some seedy motel and had a few minutes before she had to be back on the corner. Even then, she never had the chance to truly get clean or relax as she did now. Stepping up to the side of the tub, she turned the valve that controlled the hot water, letting it fill the tub. As the water level rose, she browsed the various assortments of soaps and shampoos, choosing one that smelled like vanilla.

To her delight, it turned out to be bubble bath, and she couldn't help but giggle as she watched the bubbles fill the tub. She undressed, dropping her skimpy bra and panties on the floor. She kicked them away, hoping to never have to touch them again. Turning off the water, she gingerly inserted one leg and then the other, taking her time in settling into the warm water.

Jessica sighed as she sank down into the bubbles. She had never pampered herself in such a way before, and she would admit she could get used to it. The lights were specially designed to light the room in a soft glow, simulating candlelight. She sank down into the bubbles, allowing the warm water to help her relax. She let her exhaustion and fear melt away, resting her head on the edge of the tub and closing her eyes.

 _ **...**_

Rose laid out a nightgown, the only thing she could find that would even come close to fitting the shapely woman, and sighed. She felt sorry for the young Toon, for more reasons than just the obvious. She would never grow older, forever trapped at the twenty-four years she was drawn to be. She would never know a day without men ogling her body, would never escape her type casting. Glancing at the closed door and the silence within, she stretched out on her bed with a book, glad to give the young woman some much needed alone time.

 _ **...**_

Jessica came back to herself an unknown amount of time later, but the water was freezing and the bubbles had dissipated so she knew it had been a while. She winced, stretching out the muscles in her neck. She finished her bath quickly, hurriedly washing and climbing out of the icy water. Her skin, once clean, was revealed to be a milky white, something that shocked even her. Her hair, which had become the color of rust since her creation, shone a bright red, waving down to the small of her back. As she looked over herself in the full length mirror, she realized she could actually be…beautiful. The only thing out of place were the bruises lining her body, ranging from dark purple to an ugly green.

It took all her restraint not to literally melt into the softness of the towel she used to dry off, and she had to reign herself in again as she felt the rich silk of the robe against her bare skin. She shook herself free of her shock, tightening the belt of the robe. Her shyness returned as she laid her hand on the knob of the door, but she took a deep breath and opened it.

She saw Rose lying on her bed, book dangling from her fingers and half asleep, and for a moment she debated just slipping her old clothes back on and running for it. She shook her head, reminding herself that if she wanted out of her current situation she had to trust the young woman. She looked back at Rose and bit her lip unsure of what she should do. Luckily for her, she didn't have to decide, as Rose looked up when she saw a flicker of movement. She smiled, clearly still sleepy, and motioned for her to join her on the bed.

"Feel better?" Rose asked, slowly waking up.

"Yes, thank you," Jessica said quietly.

Rose sighed, turning on her side to face the woman sitting tense as a board. She wished she would calm down, but she understood that trust wouldn't come easily from the Toon.

"Look, Jessica, I'm not going to hurt you. I want to be your friend."

The redhead turned her head so fast Rose was surprised it didn't spin. And considering she was a Toon it was a very real possibility. Jessica, for her part, was completely shocked. A human, wanting to be friends with a Toon? It was unheard of, it was impossible…it was true. Looking the young woman in the eyes she could see the sincerity in the words, and that surprised her almost more than her help.

"My friend? Why? Humans hate Toons," she said, looking away.

"No, not all of us think you're inferior. I don't. Hell, I grew up in Toontown, spent more time there as a kid than here," Rose explained.

The woman's eyes widened. She'd grown up in Toontown? Just who was this woman?

"If I could I'd become a Toon," she continued, ignoring Jessica's shocked expression. "Anyway, yes I want to be your friend. After all, everyone needs a friend."

"Do...do you really mean that?" Jessica asked, a glimmer of hope entering her eyes.

"Yeah," Rose said with a smile, "I do."


	4. Copyright

True to her word, Rose got her lawyers on Jessica's copyright the next morning. It took a while, months of negotiations, bartering, several legal documents, and some court trials, but eventually with the evidence she had collected and the amount of money she was willing to pay, Rose owned Jessica's copyright. She spent the months working to obtain the copyright getting to know the timid Toon. She found out things that even she, who was practically a Toon herself, didn't know. She found out that humanoid Toons, specifically those animated to be more realistic, had limitations on their tooniness. It was why Jessica, though she was a Toon, could feel exhaustion, pain, and bruise. Her Toon abilities were extremely limited, with her only being able to produce exaggerated expressions, and contort when the need arose. She also surprisingly had a hammerspace, something normally reserved for normal, non-humanoid Toons.

She also found that Jessica was incredibly smart, and could retain information like a book. Really she was more like a human than a Toon, and Rose found that refreshing. Over the course of those months, she helped the woman come out of her shell, develop a personality, and, though she wasn't aware of it at the time, she taught her that not all humans were deplorable. They formed a close friendship, once Jessica deemed her trustworthy that is.

The more developed as a person Jessica became, the more she cultivated what would become known as her signature look. She embraced her body, no longer ashamed of it as she had been before she met Rose, and took her knowledge of the world and its darker aspects and created what in later years would be dubbed her "ice empress" persona. She was cool and distant with anyone who wasn't Rose, changing so drastically even her owners noticed a difference. She began to carry herself with confidence and grace, and those who didn't know her would have mistaken her for a glamorous star. It was a good change, one that suited her well, and Rose was pleased to have helped her that far.

* * *

The day Rose was handed the signed copyright papers she marched down to the shady backstreet studio where Jessica shot her films and walked right on set, uncaring that she was interrupting the Toon's so-called "big scene". She was actually pleased she had come when she had, because that meant it was just one less sex scene the Toon had to shoot. The studio in real life disgusted her more than the photos ever had. It was a mess, poorly lit with dirt and trash scattered about, vermin running here and there. She almost didn't want to set foot any further than the door, but knew that if she didn't she'd never get her friend out. She didn't bother hiding her disgust at what she saw as she stormed over to the camera and forcibly jerked the lens to face the floor.

Some man, she assumed he was the director, began screaming at her, but it didn't faze her. Jessica had learned her standoffish personality from someone after all.

"What the hell?! Hey lady, get outta here! We're tryin' to shoot a movie!" the man yelled.

She calmly turned to face him, whipping out her businesswoman attitude. She looked as disinterested with him as she could possibly be, raising an eyebrow at his outburst. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the two actors they had been filming had stopped their scene, the human male and the Toon woman underneath him watching the scene unfold.

"I don't give a damn," Rose replied coolly, walking over to where Jessica was lying naked and prone on the floor of the set. She couldn't stop her grimace of disgust as she looked at her naked form in the inches thick grime. Suppressing a shudder of revulsion, she looked her friend dead in the eye as she said her next words. "You won't be finishing it anyway, not without your lead."

The Toon's eyes sparked with understanding and hope, though outwardly she showed no reaction. Rose glared at the man propped above the redhead until he shifted off, and subsequently out, hands cupping over his bared anatomy. She reached down a hand to Jessica and helped her up, draping her coat over her shoulders.

"What the hell? What are you talkin' about? Jessie ain't goin' nowhere, are ya hun?" the same man asked, and the young woman noticed her friend's disgust of the nickname.

The man reached over and pinched the Toon's behind, and Rose promptly slapped him without thinking, her automatic reaction to protect her friend.

"You bitch!" he yelled, lunging for her.

Rose cringed in expectation of the blow, but to her surprise it never came, though she heard his hand colliding with skin. She opened her eyes and was shocked to see Jessica standing in front of her glaring at the man. Her posture screamed angry predator, and if she looked closely she could just make out a shade of red beginning to tint her pale skin. The man shrank back slightly, apparently familiar with Jessica's new personality and all its traits.

"No. You can hit me all you want, but you're not going to touch my friend."

He leaned around her, a smarmy grin making its way onto his face.

"Your friend you say? My, she certainly is pretty."

"My, you certainly are stupid," Jessica retorted, her skin beginning to glow blood red.

Rose knew where the conversation was headed, and was determined to leave before it escalated. Laying a hand on the irate woman's shoulder, she was relieved when the Toon began to calm and allowed her to speak.

"Thank you. The reason I've come is to let you know that Jessica's copyright now belongs to me. Here's the paperwork to prove it," she said, shoving the documents in his face. "Come on Jess, let's get out of here."

She tugged the stunned woman out of the door while her former boss was still in a state of shock. Exiting into the bright sunlight, she rushed the redhead to her car as quickly as possible, mindful of the fact that she was clad only in her overcoat, which was nearly too short.

"Is it true?" Jessica asked as Rose started the car, a hint of her former shyness rearing its head.

"Is what true?"

"Do you own me now?"

She sounded hopeful yet resigned, as though she thought having a copyright meant her owner would control her, no matter who they were. Rose stopped her motions, turning to face her friend.

"Jess, I own your copyright, not you. I'll never own you, not like those men in there. I only want the copyright so that no one can hurt you like that ever again."

She was surprised to find herself wrapped in the Toon's arms seconds later, as she had learned her friend wasn't one for physical contact, not that she could blame her.

"Thank you, so much," Jessica nearly sobbed.

"You're welcome, Jess. And I haven't even told you the best part. I got you a bit in the latest Baby Herman cartoon. All you have to do is walk down the hall of the building they're supposed to be in."

"Rose, this is so much more than I've ever dreamed of. Thank you!"

"I'm glad to do it. Now why don't we find you something to wear other than my coat? A dress maybe?"

"I'd like that."

The two set off for the stores, Jessica with a lighter heart than she'd ever had, consumed with a sense that her life was finally beginning.


	5. Reborn

Jessica was ecstatic as she settled into her new life. Rose had arranged an apartment for her near the studio, a quaint and small little thing. It wasn't the most expensive or the most glamorous, but it was hers and that was more than she'd ever had. She also had a new wardrobe, from dresses to blouses with shoes to match. It was more than she'd ever hoped for. No more sex scenes, no more nights working the corners, no more being used. She was finally living the life she had often dreamt of. What could be better?

She was excited for her first real job and nervous as well. When the day of the shoot came she dressed in a tight red dress with a sweetheart neckline and a slit up her thigh. Sliding on matching red pumps and purple opera gloves, she looked more confident than she felt. She headed over to the studio, Maroon Cartoons, and managed to find the right soundstage. She ignored the stares and catcalls as she entered, keeping her distant and uncaring attitude. What she wasn't expecting was the star, a baby Toon drawn no older than two, to hit on her as if he were fifty. She slapped him, surprising him and for a moment she thought she'd be fired before she'd even begun. She held her breath as he looked back at her.

"You got guts, lady, hittin' me like that. I like that in a dame, makes things interestin'."

She sighed as he smirked at her, relieved that she hadn't ruined her nonexistent career.

* * *

Her bit in the cartoon went well, though she couldn't help but notice the looks she was receiving. They made her uncomfortable, but at least she knew they couldn't really touch her without permission. It was part of the contract Rose's lawyers had drawn up. No one could touch her off-set without her permission. It had been made crystal clear, and it felt good to be in control of her own body for once. Of course, there were some setbacks. Some of the other extras onset, human and Toon alike, swore she only got the job because she was friends with Acme's daughter. Others said it was because she was having sex with the director.

She wasn't deaf; she heard the whispers as she passed. She simply glared and continued on her way, though inside she was breaking. Would she never escape her sex symbol status? She walked as fast as she could off the set and out of the studio, with direction for her meager paycheck to be mailed to her home.

Once home she collapsed on her bed and sobbed, disappointed that all anyone ever saw was her body. Of course she used it to her advantage most of the time, she had learned to do so when she was still working the streets, but it would be nice if she was more than a nice figure. She was afraid she'd never be able to prove herself as anything other than the "adult Toon that switched professions". Rose stopped by later that afternoon and by that point she had managed to get herself together enough to lie about the day. But the woman saw straight through her lie and demanded to know what had really happened, so she told her. The blonde's eyes narrowed and she slipped into the other room and made a call.

"Rose, what was that?" Jessica asked as she reentered the room.

"Just a call to some friends in high places."

"Rose, you can't keep fighting my battles. That's what started the rumors in the first place."

The young heiress frowned. She knew the redhead was right, but she didn't want her to get hurt. She'd only recently found her self-confidence and she didn't want some jealous nobodies to ruin it.

She looked over at the Toon on the bed, so different from the woman she'd first seen nearly a year before. This woman wasn't jumpy and skittish, instead oozing a quiet confidence and security. She was dressed in a light blouse and slacks rather than just a bra and panties, and was devoid of makeup. Rose smiled softly, proud that the Toon had come so far and was continuing to grow. Looking at her, she realized that she no longer needed the constant guidance and protection she once had.

"I know, Jessa," she said, giving a slightly sad smile. "I just don't want you to get hurt."

"I won't," the redhead responded, a touch of fire to her tone and determination in her eyes.

"Then from now on all your battles are just that, yours."

Jessica smiled, her earlier sadness forgotten.

* * *

The next job she landed was her own doing, a result of hard work and auditions. The stares and whistles still came, but this time she embraced them. She noticed the insults she had previously heard thrown around were absent, and she silently rolled her eyes at Rose's intervention. She held her head high as she strutted around in the tiny outfit the producers had provided, and decided then and there that if she was going to be typecast, she might as well own it. And thus, the old Jessica completely died and the new Jessica was born.


End file.
